Machine for producing buffing wheel sections



June 18, 1957 s. R. CHURCHILL MACHINE FOR PRODUCING BUFFING WHEEL SECTIONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 6, 1955 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY June 18, 1957 s. R. CHURCHILL MACHINE FOR PRODUCING BUFFING WHEEL SECTIONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6, L955 6 E 0 6 n Ma Q 7 w v 6 e m o w MO 3 w 4d e l h 2 2 w 3 6 o 3 A 5 u 4 g ATTORNEY G. R. CHURCHILL June 18, 1957 MACHiNE FOR PRODUCING BUFFING WHEEL SECTIONS 4 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed May 6, 1955 INVEN TOR.

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Ge /gar:- R (burr/21 BY June 18, 1957 G. R. CHURCHILL MACHINE FOR PRODUCING BUFFING WHEEL SECTIONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 6, 1955 Eg s ATTORNEY w r A? 05 a x 5/ m w 2 x m A '0 7 kw J m 6 w. MJJ A a 4 A United States Patent MACHINE FOR PRODUCINGBUFFING WHEEL SECTIONS George R. Churchill, Cohasset, Mass., assignor to George R. Churchill Company, Inc., Hingham, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 6, 1955, Serial No. 506,401

10 Claims. (Cl. 1-124) This invention relates to a machine for producing buffing wheel sections.

The invention has foran object to provide a novel and improved machine for producing bufiing wheel sections of the type having a central d-isk provided with a plurality of radially extended buffing elements and wherein provision is made forautomatically feeding transferring and securing successive bufiing elements to the central disk in radially arranged relation in a superior, economical and highly eflicient manner.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appearthe invention consists in the buff producing machine and in the various structures, arrangements and combination of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the present buff producing machine;

Figs. 2 and 3 are plan and side elevations respectively of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the machine illustrating the indexing and stapling mechanisms;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4 showing a portion of the driving mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line- 66 of Fig. 4 illustrating a portion of the indexing mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4 illustrating adjusting mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a partially assembled bufiing wheel section disposed in the machine;

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8; and v Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 8.

ln general the present invention contemplates a novel buff producing machine particularly adapted for assembling and securing together the components of buifing wheel sections of the general type illustrated and described in the patent to George R. Churchill, No. 2,483,879, issued October 4, 1949, and in which the buffing wheel sections include a plurality of relatively flat, elongated buffing elements arranged radially on a central supportingdisk, and wherein each element may comprise a plurality of folded lengths of cloth, a plurality of such sections being mounted side by side on an arbor to form arelatively wide bufiing wheel or roll. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention provision is madefor feeding a predetermined length of a prepared strip or web of bufling material to a gripping and transferring member and for severing the strip to form anindividual buifing element. The gripping and transferring member is then operated totransfer the buffing element into operative relation to the supporting disk and to stapling mechanism whereupon a staple is applied to attach the buffing element to the disk. Provision is also made in the illustrated embodiment of the invention for rotating the disk at short if u Patented June 18, 1957 2 distance after each stapling operation to present a new portion of the disk in indexed position to receive a succeeding bufling element during the next cycle of operation.

Referring now to the drawings, the present buff producing machine includes a stapling mechanism indicated generally at 10 which is provided with a table 12 suported from the frame of the stapling mechanism. An indexing mechanism, indicated generally at 16, is adjustably mounted in the table 12 and is arranged to support a relatively thin, circular metal or cardboard disk 18 forming the central supporting disk of the buifing wheel section, the disk having its marginal edge disposed in operative rela* tion to the stapling head 20. In operation the buffing material, which may be provided in strip form, as indicated at 22, is arranged to be advanced a predetermined length each cycle of operation by feed rolls 24, 26 to present the leading end of the strip between the jaws of a gripping and transferring arm 28 and in operative relation to a rotary cutter blade 30 arranged to sever the web to form an individual buffing element. -In operation the transfer arm isthen rocked to present the leading end of the boiling element over the marginal edge of the disk 18 and in operative relation to the stapling head whereupon the stapling mechanism is operated to secure the bufling element to the disk 18. Upon completion of the stapling operation the gripper jaws are operated to release the bufling element, and the transfer arm 28 is retracted to its initial position in operative relation to receive the leading end of the buffing material strip advanced during the next cycle of operation. Provision is preferably made for operating the indexing mechanism 16 through connections from the stapling mechanism whereby to effect rotation of the disk through a small are each cycle of operation into a position in readiness to receive a succeeding bufiing element presented to the disk during the next cycle of operation.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the feed rolls 24, 26 may be driven through an adjustable crank mechanism indicated generally at 32. The crank mechanism 32 is mounted on a cam shaft 34 rotatably supported in a frame 36 and is arranged to be driven by a motor 38 connected to the cam shaft by a belt and pulley drive 40. As herein shown, the frame 36 is mounted on a bracket 42 attached to the frame of the stapling mechanism. The crank disk 32 is connected by a link 44 to an arm 46 attached to the driving element of a rotary clutch mechanism 48 which may be of the conventional roller type arranged to be rotated in one direction only. The clutch 48 is mounted "on a shaft 50 rotatably mounted in bearings in a bracket 52 attached to the frame 36 and is connected by bevel gears 54 to a shaft 56 on which the lower feed roll 24 is mounted. The upper feed roll 26 may be mounted in spring pressed block bearings 58 slidingly mounted in guides formed in supporting arms 60 and may be operatively connected to rotate with the lower roll 24 by spur gears 62, 64. A pawl and ratchet mechanism, indicated generally at 65, may be provided to prevent reverse movement of the feed rolls. Thus, in operation the strip 22 of bufiing material is advanced a predetermined length each cycle of operation, and such length may be varied by adjusting the crank pin 66 in the disk 32. a

As herein shown, the leading edge of the strip-22 is presented between the jaws 68, 70 of the gripper and transfer arm 28, provision being made for closing the jaws upon the ends of the strip to grip the same. While thus gripped, provision is made for severing the strip, and as herein shown, this may be accomplished by the rotary cutter blade 30 carried by one end of a bracket 7-2 pivotally mounted on a shaft74 supported in a bearing member 76 attached to the frame. The cutter blade 30 may be rotated by a motor 78 carried by the pivoted bracket 72 and connected to the cutter by a belt and pulley drive 80. In operation the blade is arranged to be rocked to perform the cutting operation by a cam 82 fast on the cam shaft 34 and by connections including a link 84 connected at one end to the bracket 72 and having its other end forked and embracing the shaft 34. The link 84 is provided with a cam roll 86 cooperating with the cam 82, and a spring 88 connected to the bracket 72 is arranged to rock the bracket downwardly when permitted to do so by the cam 82.

As herein shown, the gripper and transfer arm 28 is fast upon the upper end of a sleeve 90 rotatably mounted in a flanged bearing member 92 secured to a bracket 94 attached to the frame 36. The arm 28 is arranged to be rocked into and out of operative relation to the disk 18 and the stapling head 20 by a cam operated segmental gear 96 in mesh with a spur gear 98 fast on the lower end of the sleeve 90. The segmental gear 96 is pivoted in an arm 100 extended from the bearing member 92, and the segmental gear is connected by a link 102 to a cam lever 104 pivotally mounted at 106. The lever 104 is provided with a cam roll 108 for cooperation with a cam 110 fast on the cam shaft 34. A spring, not shown, may be connected to the lever 104 to hold the cam roll against its cam.

As herein shown, the outer jaw 68 of the arm 28 is formed integrally with the transfer arm, and the inner jaw 70 is formed on the end of a slide member 114 arranged to be reciprocated in a grooved portion of the arm 28. A cam 116 fast on the upper end of a shaft 118 extended through the sleeve 90 in the bearing member 92 is arranged to cooperate with a roller 120 carried by the slide 114. A spring 122 connected to the slide is arranged to hold the roller 120 against its cam. As herein shown, the shaft 118 is arranged to be rotated through connections from the main cam shaft 34 by bevel gears 124, shaft 126 and bevel gears 128. In operation the cam 116 is designed so that the leading end of the strip 22 is gripped immediately after the web is advanced between the jaws, and the jaws maintain their grip on the boiling element during the rocking movement of the arm to stapling position. After the stapling operation is completed the inner jaw 70 is retracted and the arm 28 is rocked back to its initial position to receive a succeeding section of the bufiing material. It will be observed that the inner faces of the jaws 68, 70 are provided with opposed vertical notches 73 which serve as guides and clearance openings for the legs of the staple during the stapling operation.

As herein more or less diagrammatically illustrated, the stapling mechanism 10 may comprise any usual or preferred commercially available mechanism and which may be provided with a one revolution clutch, indicated generally at 130, the driven member of which is connected to the drive shaft 132 of the stapler and the driving member of which is connected through a belt and pulley drive 134 to a motor 136. As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the indexing mechanism '16 includes a worm gear drive arranged to be driven in timed relation to the stapling mechanism through a gear train 140 connecting the stapler drive shaft 132 to a shaft 142 which in turn is connected by a universal joint 144 to a shaft 146 on which the worm 148 of the worm gear drive is fixed. The gear 150 of the worm gear drive is loosely mounted at the lower end of a shouldered stud 152 which is supported for rotation in a bushing 154 carried by an arm 156 extended from a clamp unit 158 adjustably supported in the table 12, as shown in Fig. 9.

The loosely mounted worm gear 150 is operatively connected to the stud 152 through a yielda-ble connection, as shown in Fig. 6, which includes a notched collar 160 fast on the stud. A compression spring 162 inserted in and extended from a socket 163 formed in the notched portion of the collar is interposed between the Collar and an upturned portion 164 of an arm 165 secured to a fiatted portion of the hub of the worm gear 150. A stop screw 166 carried by the collar 160 is arranged to engage the rear face of the upturned portion 164 to limit the relative rotary movement of the gear and the collar. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the stud 152 is also provided with a roller clutch, the driving member 167 of which is keyed to the stud, and the driven member 168 of which has secured to its upper surface a driving disk 170 provided with an upstanding pin 17-2 for cooperation with an aligned opening formed in the central disk 18 of the bufling wheel section. It will be observed that the central disk 18 is provided with a reinforcing collar 176 secured thereto around the central opening in the disk, and an extended portion 178 of the stud 152 is adapted to receive a detachable hub 180 of a diameter such as to snugly fit into the central opening in the disk 18.

From the description thus far it will be observed that in the operation of the machine a predetermined length of buffing material is advanced to present the leading end thereof between the gripper jaws 68, 70 After the gripper jaws are closed to grip the leading end of the strip the cutter blade 30 is operated to cut the strip to form an individual buffing element. As illustrated in Fig. 2, in order to vary the length of the buffing element the cutter blade mounting may be longitudinally adjusted on its pivot shaft 74, the mounting being retained in its adjusted position by collars 75. The operating cam 82 may also be longitudinally adjusted on its cam shaft 34 to accommodate the new position of the cutter blade mounting. It will be understood that the length of advance of the strip must also be changed to correspond to the new length to be severed by adjustment of the crank mechanism 32 as previously described. In the continued operation of the machine the transfer arm 28 is rocked 90 to present the leading end of the buffing element into operative position between the marginal edge of the disk 18 and the stapling mechanism 10. It will be observed that the marginal edge of the disk 18 immediately below the stapling head is supported upon an anvil 183 forming a part of the conventional stapling mechanism.

At this time provision is made for operating the stapling mechanism, and as herein shown, the one revolution clutch 130 is arranged to be automatically actumm to initiate the stapling operation through connections including a solenoid 184 and conventional linkage indicated at 186 cooperating with the one revolution clutch 130. As shown in Fig. 3, the solenoid 184, diagrammatically indicated therein, is arranged to be energized by a circuit which includes a cam operated switch indicated at 188 actuated by a cam lever 190 provided with a roller 192 arranged to cooperate with a cam 194 fast on the cam shaft 34. Thus, in operation the solenoid may be energized by closing of cam operated switch 188 to initiate the stapling operation immediately upon presentation of the leading end of the buffing element into operative position to be stapled. As shown in Fig. 3, an auxiliary switch 196 may be provided in the circuit whereby the solenoid 184 may be disconnected from automatic operation and arranged for manual operation, as indicated.

Upon initiation of the stapling operation the stapling head is operated to apply or drive a staple preferably around the end of the bufling element and through the disk, as illustrated in Fig. 10, whereupon the gripper jaw 70 is retracted, and the transfer arm 28 is rocked back to its initial position. It will be understood that during the actual stapling operation the indexing mechanism 60 is being actuated through the gear train 140. The down stroke of the indexing head 20 holds the disk at rest and during such time the yieldable connection comprising the spring 162 between the gear 150 and the collar 160 is compressed, see Fig. 6 and immediately upon application of the staple and retraction of the transfer arm the disk is released and rotated a unit distance by extension of the spring 162. The extent of rotation of the disk may be varied by changing the gear 200, the gear train 140 being arranged to accommodate different size gears on the shaft 142 by the provision of a supporting plate 202 pivotally mounted at 204 arranged to be adjusted relative to the gear 200 and clamped in its adjusted posit-ion by a bolt 206. In this manner the are or space through which the disk is rotated each cycle of operation may be varied to accommodate different diameters of disks.

As herein shown, the central disk 18 is supported for rotation with the stud 152 and with the marginal edge of the disk in engagement with the anvil and in operative relation to the stapling head, and provision is also made for adjusting the supporting arm 156 to accommodate a disk of a different diameter to dispose the marginal edge in operative relation to the anvil 183 and the stapling head. As herein shown, the arm 156 is connected to a flanged collar 208 of the adjustable clamp unit 158 which in turn is connected by a bolt 210 to a plate 212 which, as shown in Fig. 7, is mounted for longitudinal adjustment in a slot 214 formed in the table 12, the edges of the slot being inclined or V-shaped to receive the correspondingly shaped edges of the plate. A clamping collar 216 is interposed between the underside of the table 12 and the flanged collar 208, and a washer 215 may be provided between the flange and the underside of the arm 156. The head of the bolt 210 is provided with a pin 211 extended therethrough for use in manually rotating the bolt. It will also be observed that the clutch member 168 operates in a slotted guide 218 formed in the table 12. Thus, in operation when it is desired to support a different diameter central disk 18 with its marginal edge in operative relation to the stapling mechanism the bolt 210 may be loosened, and the entire disk supporting unit may be bodily moved longitudinally and clamped in its adjusted position. It will be observed that provision is also made for longitudinally adjusting the drive shaft 146 on which the drive worm 148 is mounted. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the shaft 146 is extended through a bearing 220 secured to the anvil post 222 and is connected to one member of the universal joint 144 by a set screw 224 which may be loosened to permit extension of the shaft relative to the universal joint to effect adjustment thereof to accommodate a different size disk.

Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9, it will be observed that when the transfer arm 28 is rocked to present the buifing element to the disk 18 provision is made for diverting the previously applied buffing elements which might otherwise interfere with the rocking movement of the transfer arm. As herein shown, these elements may be diverted downwardly out of the path of the transfer arm by a curved and downwardly inclined guide member 226 which may be supported from a bracket, 228 secured to the table 12. In operation a predetermined length of buffing material is advanced between the jaws 68, 7G and after the advanced portion is severed from the strip the arm 28 is rocked to present the individual butting element into operative relation to the stapling mechanism, and at this time in the cycle of operation the cam operated switch 188 is closed to start the operation of the stapling mechanism. It will be understood that the disk 18 is rotated through the gearing connected to the stapling mechanism, as described, and when the stapling head 20 comes down to hold the disk at rest, the gear 150 continues to rotate compressing spring 162, and when the disk is released by elevation of the stapling head, the spring is extended to advance the disk a predetermined unit distance in readiness for the next cycle of operation, the stapling mechanism completing its cycle of operation at substantially the same time. The disk 18 thus remains at rest until a succeeding bufling element is presented thereto and the cam operated switch 188 is again closed during a succeeding cycle of operation of the machine. I

From the above description it will be seen that the present invention provides a novel and improved machine for assembling and securing together the components of the buthng wheel sections of the type having a central supporting disk and provided with a plurality of individual radially extended buffing elements and which is capable of automatically producing such bufling wheel sections in a rapid, economical and eflicient manner.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the character described, in combination, stapling mechanism, means for supporting a circular disk with its marginal edge in operative relation to said stapling mechanism, means for intermittently advancing an elongated strip of bufling material, means for severing the strip to form successive individual butting elements, means for supporting and transferring said individual elements to dispose one end thereof in overlapping and radially extended relation to said disk, means for operating said stapling mechanism to secure the element to the disk, and means for indexing said disk to present ally extended relation to said disk, means for operating said stapling mechanism to secure the element to the disk, means for indexing the disk to present an adjacent portion of the disk into a position to receive a succeeding buffing element, said supporting and transferring means including means for gripping and compressing the end ofthe element to be stapled and for maintaining the element in its compressed condition during the stapling operation.

3. In a machine of the character described, in combination, stapling mechanism, means for supporting a circular disk with its marginal edge in operative relation to said stapling mechanism, means for intermittently advancing an elongated strip of bufiing material, means for severing the strip to form-successive individual buffing elements, means for supporting and transferring said individual elements to dispose one end thereof in overlapping and radially extended relation to said disk, means for operating said stapling mechanism to secure the element to the disk, and means for indexing said disk to present an adjacent portion of the disk in position to receive a succeeding bufling element, said supporting and transferring means including a transfer arm having provision for gripping and compressing the end of the advanced strip prior to the severing operation and for maintaining the end of the individual element in its compressed condition during the transferring and stapling operation.

4. In a machine of the character described, in com bination, stapling mechanism, means for supporting a circular disk with its marginal edge in operative relation to said stapling mechanism, means for intermittently advancing an elongated strip of bufiing material, means for severing the strip to form successive individual butting elements, means for supporting and transferring said individual elements to dispose one end thereof in overlapping and radially extended relation to said disk, means for operating said stapling mechanism to secure the element to the disk, means for indexing said disk to present an adjacent portion of the disk in position to receive a elements, means for supporting and transferring said individual elements to dispose one end thereof in overlapping and radially extended relation to said disk, means for operating said stapling mechanism to secure the element to the disk, means for indexing said disk to present an adjacent portion of the disk in position to receive a succeeding buffing element, said stapler operating means including a one revolution clutch, and means for automatically operating said clutch to initiate the stapling operation when a buffing element is presented to said disk.

6. In a machine of the character described, in combination, stapling mechanism, means for supporting a circular disk with its marginal edge in operative relation to said stapling mechanism, means for intermittently advancing an elongated strip of buffing material, means for severing the strip to form successive individual bufiing elements, means for supporting and transferring said individual elements to dispose one end thereof in overlapping and radially extended relation to said disk, means for operating said stapling mechanism to secure the element to the disk, means for indexing said disk to present an adjacent portion of the disk in position to receive a succeeding buffing element, said supporting and transferring means including a transfer arm having provision for gripping and compressing the end of the advanced strip prior to the severing operation and for maintaining the end of the individual element in its compressed condition during the transferring and stapling operation, and means for diverting previously secured bufiing elements from the path of the transfer arm during the transferring operation.

7. In a machine of the character described, in combination, stapling mechanism, means for supporting a circular disk with its marginal edge in operative relation to said stapling mechanism, means for intermittently advancing an elongated strip of buffing material, means for severing the strip to form successive individual bufling elements, means for supporting and transferring said individual elements to dispose one end thereof in overlapping and radially extended relation to said disk, means for operating said stapling mechanism to secure the element to the disk, means for indexing said disk to present an adjacent portion of the disk in position to receive a succeeding buffing element, said stapler operating means including a one revolution clutch, means for automatically operating said clutch to initiate the stapling operation when a bufiing element is presented to said disk, said clutch operating means including a circuit having a solenoid operatively connected to said clutch, and a cam operated switch for energizing said solenoid.

8. In a machine of the character described, in combis nation, stapling mechanism, meansfor supporting a circular diskwith its marginal edge in operative relation to said stapling mechanism, means for intermittently advancing an elongated strip of buffing material, means for severing the strip to form successive individual bufiing elements means for supporting and transferring said individual elements to dispose one end thereof in overlapping and radially extended relation to said disk, means for operating said stapling mechanism to secure the element to the disk, means for indexing said disk to present an adjacent portion of the disk in position to receive a succeeding bufiing element, and means for adjusting said disk supporting means whereby to present the marginal edge of a different diameter disk in operative relation to the stapling mechanism.

9. In a machine ,of the character described, in combination, stapling mechanism, means for supporting a circular disk with its marginal edge in operative relation to said stapling mechanism, means for intermittently advancing an elongated strip of bufiing material, means for severing the strip to form successive individual buffing elements, means for supporting and transferring said individual elements to dispose one end thereof in overlapping and radially extended relation to said disk, means for operating said stapling mechanism to secure the element to the disk, and means for indexing said disk to present an adjacent portion of the disk in position to receive a succeeding bufiing element, said indexing means including driving means ,operatively connected to and driven from the operating means for said stapling mechanism, said driving means including a yieldable connection whereby to permit the disk to remain stationary during the actual driving of the staple and to continue its indexing movement during the remainder of the cycle of the stapling mechanism.

10. In a machine of the character described, in combination, stapling mechanism, means for supporting a circular disk with its marginal edge in operative relation to said stapling mechanism, means for intermittently advancing an elongated strip of bufling material, means for severing the strip to form successive individual butfing elements, means for supporting and transferring said individual elements to dispose one end thereof in overlapping and radially extended relation to said disk, means for operating said stapling mechanism to secure the element to the disk, and means for indexing said disk to present an adjacent portion of the disk in position to receive a succeeding butting element, said indexing means including driving means operatively connected to and driven from the operating means for said stapling mechanism, said driving means being constructed to enable the distance through which the disk is rotated to be varied.

References Cited in the'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,367,721 Shepard Feb. 8, 1921 2,371,062 Minkow Mar. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 219,123 Great Britain July 24, 1924 LEFT; 

